Clockwork - Warren County Public Schools

Clockwork

• Read the following fable: The Monkey and the Snake

One winter a Monkey found a Snake stiff and frozen with cold. He had
compassion on it, and taking it up, placed it in his bosom. The Snake was
quickly revived by the warmth, and resuming its natural instincts, bit the
monkey, inflicting on him a mortal wound.

• In your writer’s notebook, answer the following questions: What is the
theme of this story? What happens in the story that leads you to believe
this?

• ANSWER: The theme of this story is “Don’t be too trusting of others, especially when you
have a reason to distrust them.” In the story, a monkey feels sorry for a cold snake and tries to
make him warm. He was too trusting, though, because he obviously did not believe the snake
would harm him for trying to be helpful. However, the snake’s natural instincts are to kill other
animals; as a result, he kills the monkey despite the monkey’s attempt to save the snake’s life.
This shows me that if you know a person is evil (like the monkey knew the snake was a killer),
you should not trust that person too much. The monkey trusted the snake and ended up dead.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Clockwork

• Read the following fable: The Flies and the Honey-Pot
• A number of flies were attracted to a jar of honey which had been

overturned in a housekeeper's room, and placing their feet in it, ate
greedily. Their feet, however, became so smeared with the honey that
they could not use their wings, nor release themselves, and were
suffocated.

• In your writer’s notebook, answer the following questions: What is the
theme of this story? What happens in the story that leads you to believe
this?

ANSWER: The theme of this story is “Greed can land you in a sticky situation.” In the story, the
flies‘ greed for the honey makes them unaware of their surroundings. As a result, they become trapped
by the honey and suffocate to death. This shows me that if you are greedy, like the flies were greedy
for the honey, you can forget about important things (like your own safety and comfort) and end up in
a situation that hurts you in the end.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Clockwork

• Read the following fable: The Goose with the Golden Eggs
• One day a monkey went to the nest of his Goose and found there an egg all yellow and

glittering. When he took it up it was as heavy as lead and he was going to throw it
away, because he thought a trick had been played upon him. But, on second thought, he
took it home and soon found to his delight that it was an egg of pure gold. Every
morning the same thing occurred, and he soon became rich by selling his eggs. As he
grew rich he grew greedy; and thinking to get at once all the gold the Goose could give,
he killed it and opened it only to find nothing.

• In your writer’s notebook, answer the following questions: What is the theme of this
story? What happens in the story that leads you to believe this?

ANSWER: The theme of this story is “Giving in to your greed only leads to destruction.” In the
story, the monkey becomes rich by selling the golden eggs he stole from a goose. He is so excited
about his riches, he decides to kill the goose to steal all its golden riches. However, when he opens the
goose, there is nothing there. This shows me that greed leads to destruction because the monkey’s
greed led him to kill the innocent goose, and he gained nothing.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Clockwork

• Read the following fable: The Oxen and the Axle-Trees

A HEAVY WAGON was being dragged along a country lane by a team of
Oxen. The Axle-trees groaned and creaked terribly; whereupon the Oxen,
turning round, thus addressed the wheels: “Hullo there! why do you make
so much noise? We bear all the labor, and we, not you, ought to cry out.”

• In your writer’s notebook, answer the following questions: What is the
theme of this story? What happens in the story that leads you to believe
this?

• ANSWER: The theme of this story is “Don’t complain about your circumstances because
there are others who are worse off.” In the fable, the axle-trees groan and creak terribly
because they are carrying a heavy wagon. Their complaining is so loud, the oxen turn around
and admonish them by pointing out that the oxen are, in fact, doing all the work of actually
dragging the wagon around, whereas the axel-trees are merely holding the load. This shows me
that even when your circumstances are bad, there are always others who are doing more work
or who are dealing with more problems. Therefore, you shouldn’t complain.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Clockwork

• Read the following fable: The Bundle of Sticks

An old monkey on the point of death summoned his sons around him to give them some
parting advice. He ordered them to bring in a bundle of sticks, and said to his eldest son:
"Break it." The son strained and strained, but with all his efforts was unable to break the sticks.
The other sons also tried, but none of them was successful. "Untie the bundle," said the father,
"and each of you take a stick." When they had done so, he called out to them: "Now, break,"
and each stick was easily broken. "You see my meaning," said their father.

• In your writer’s notebook, answer the following questions: What is the theme of this
story? What happens in the story that leads you to believe this?

ANSWER: The theme of this story is “An individual is stronger in a group than when he/she is
alone.” In the story, the father monkey teaches his children a lesson by using a bundle of sticks as an
example. The sons are able to easily break an individual stick, but they are unable to break the sticks
when they are in a bundle. This shows me that people are stronger when they are united as a group
than they are when they are by themselves.

Friday, December 14, 2012